June 11, Day 162 – The Proper Posture for Our Lives
- Dr. Eric Stricker
- Jun 11
- 3 min read
In 2 Samuel 15:13-16:14, we see that David is on the run again – this time – from his own son. We remember that, because of David’s sin with Bathsheba, Nathan prophesied that “the sword would never depart from his house …” (cf., 2 Samuel 12:10), thus, this campaign is a partial fulfillment of that prophecy. Absalom, the king’s son, is greedy to take over the kingdom by force, and to succeed, he will have to defeat his own father – about which he cares little. However, David was a battle-seasoned veteran (cf., 2 Samuel 18). Sadly, Absalom represents the way evil grows out of self-pride. In 2 Samuel 15:13, we read that “the hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.” Absalom’s revolt is based on his popularity which is never a stable entity. Still, David’s officials advise him to “flee” (verse 14). “The king set out with his entire household – save ten concubines – who were left to take care of the palace” (verse 16). “The whole countryside wept aloud” (verse 23), and “David continued up the Mount of Olives – weeping as he went” (verse 30). David’s emotions foreshadow “the anguish through which our Lord Jesus Christ prayed for Himself – sweating like great drops of blood” (cf., Luke 22:44). In chapter 16, we see that, under false pretenses, Ziba – Mephibosheth’s steward – arrives with provisions for David and his followers. He lies to David – telling him that Mephibosheth “thinks the kingdom will revert to him” (verse 3). As a result, David rewards Ziba with all of Mephibosheth’s possessions. This falsehood will be exposed in a later reading, but it’s important to note that under these desperate conditions, rumors are easily believed. As Christians, we need to recognize how difficult circumstances in our lives can cloud our vision. This section – verses 4-14 – concludes with Shimei’s brazen attacks, false accusations, and curses against David. These insults represent the kind of attacks that Satan perpetrates on believers. Fully aware of his own sin and the prophecy against him, David shows biblical restraint and dignity toward Shimei – “The LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today” (verse 12).
The last time we looked at Psalm 71, we addressed three convenient divisions that should encourage the proper posture for our lives – [1] prayer (verses 1-4); [2] patience (verses 5-6); and [3] praise (verses 7-8). Today, to these three divisions, we add a fourth – that of proclamation. In verse 16, we read, “I will come and proclaim Your mighty acts; I will proclaim your righteousness … I declare your marvelous deeds … I declare your power” (verses 16-18). This Psalm informs us that, although our lives include trouble, our God – Who is faithful and righteous – will “restore” us and “raise” us up (verse 20). These represent the promises of a bright future, to which we should joyfully look forward and about which we must praise God – properly.
In Acts 6:1-7:19, we see the selection of men to the office of deacon in the early church. It was appropriate to delegate administrative responsibilities to other, wise, and spirit-filled men so that the Apostles could focus on “prayer and the ministry of the Word” (verses 2-4). Today, similar appointments to church office are appropriate for the administration of a body of believers. These positions reveal the importance that God attaches to prayer, to the teaching of the Word, and to the administration of an assembly. The text also informs us that good oversight was necessary for governing the “rapid increase and large number who became obedient to the faith” (verse 7). Also, here in this section, we are introduced to Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian faith. Stephen was a “man full of God’s grace and power” – godly, articulate, and wise (verses 8-12) – but “opposed” and “falsely accused” (verses 9-14) – just like the Lord was. Almost always, hatred against believers in Jesus Christ first grows out of jealousy and envy among intolerant unbelievers who want to control the culture around them – forcing others to believe like they believe – rather than freely allowing people to follow the convictions of their hearts. We find similar conditions in our own culture among hypocritical and hypercritical, intolerant politicians and religious fanatics today.
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